Systems and methods for managing small data transmissions

Abstract

A wireless communication method includes method including determining Small Data Transmission (SDT) information and performing, with a network, SDT procedure using the SDT information.

1 . A wireless communication method, comprising:
 determining, by a wireless communication device, Small Data Transmission (SDT) information; and   performing, by the wireless communication device with a network, SDT procedure using the SDT information.   
     
     
         2 . The wireless communication method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the SDT information comprises SDT Configured Grant (CG) configuration; and   the wireless communication method comprises:
 receiving, from the network, Time Alignment (TA) information; 
 in response to receiving the TA information, initiating, by the wireless communication device, a timer; and 
 in response to determining that the timer has expired, releasing, by the wireless communication device, SDT CG resources. 
   
     
     
         3 . The wireless communication method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the SDT information comprises SDT Configured Grant (CG) configuration; and   the wireless communication method comprises:
 receiving, from the network, Time Alignment (TA) information; and 
 in response to receiving the TA information and determining that the TA information is maintained:
 applying the TA information; and 
 starting or restarting a timer. 
 
   
     
     
         4 . The wireless communication method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the SDT information comprises SDT Random Access Channel (RACH) configuration; and   the wireless communication method comprises:
 receiving, from the network, Time Alignment (TA) information with the SDT RACH configuration. 
   
     
     
         5 . The wireless communication method of  claim 1 , wherein the SDT information comprises SDT Random Access Channel (RACH) configuration, and the wireless communication method comprises:
 in initiating the SDT procedure, applying first Time Alignment (TA) information and initiating a timer;   during performing the SDT procedure, in response to determining that the timer is not running:
 initiating a Random Access (RA) procedure in which uplink synchronization is obtained in a RRC-Inactive state; and 
   in response to determining that the SDT procedure ends and that the wireless communication device enters into a Radio Resource Control (RRC)-Inactive state, terminating the timer,   wherein the timer is reinitiated in response to receiving any TA information.   
     
     
         6 . The wireless communication method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the SDT information comprises SDT Configured Grant (CG) configuration and SDT Random Access Channel (RACH) configuration; and   using the SDT RACH configuration for the SDT procedure in response to determining that using the SDT CG configuration has failed.   
     
     
         7 . The wireless communication method of  claim 6 , wherein a first timer corresponds to the SDT CG configuration, and a second timer corresponds to the SDT RACH configuration; and the wireless communication method further comprises:
 in response to determining that the first timer has expired, release SDT CG resources;   in response to initiating the SDT procedure using the SDT RACH configuration and receiving from the network, Time Alignment (TA) information:
 apply the TA information; 
 stop the first timer; and 
 starting the second timer; 
   in response to determining that another cell of the network has been selected:
 stopping the first timer or the second timer; and 
 releasing or suspending the SDT CG configurations; and 
   in response to determining that the SDT procedure has ended and the wireless communication device is set to a Radio Resource Control (RRC)-Inactive state:
 maintaining the first timer or the second timer upon determining that CG resources are valid; and 
 stopping the first timer or the second timer upon determining that the CG resources are invalid. 
   
     
     
         8 . The wireless communication method of  claim 1 , comprising determining, during performing the SDT procedure, that Radio Link Failure (RLF) has occurred in response to determining at least one of:
 a Random Access (RA) procedure failure, or   a Radio Link Control (RLC) failure.   
     
     
         9 . The wireless communication method of  claim 8 , comprising:
 in response to determining that the RLF has occurred during performing the SDT procedure:
 releasing the SDT CG configuration, and setting the wireless communication device to the RRC-Idle state. 
   
     
     
         10 . The wireless communication method of  claim 1 , comprising: in response to determining that the cell-reselection has occurred during performing the SDT procedure:
 releasing SDT Configured Grant (CG) configuration; and   setting the wireless communication device to a Radio Resource Control (RRC)-Idle state.   
     
     
         11 . A wireless communication device, comprising:
 at least one processor configured to:
 determine Small Data Transmission (SDT) information; and 
 perform, with a network, SDT procedure using the SDT information. 
   
     
     
         12 . The wireless communication device of  claim 11 , wherein
 the SDT information comprises SDT Configured Grant (CG) configuration; and   the at least one processor is configured to:
 receive, from the network, Time Alignment (TA) information; 
 in response to receiving the TA information, initiate, by the wireless communication device, a timer; and 
 in response to determining that the timer has expired, release SDT CG resources. 
   
     
     
         13 . The wireless communication device of  claim 11 , wherein
 the SDT information comprises SDT Configured Grant (CG) configuration; and   the at least one processor is configured to:
 receive, from the network, Time Alignment (TA) information; and 
 in response to receiving the TA information and determining that the TA information is maintained:
 apply the TA information; and 
 start or restart a timer. 
 
   
     
     
         14 . The wireless communication device of  claim 11 , wherein
 the SDT information comprises SDT Random Access Channel (RACH) configuration; and   the at least one processor is configured to:
 receive, from the network, Time Alignment (TA) information with the SDT RACH configuration. 
   
     
     
         15 . The wireless communication device of  claim 11 , wherein the SDT information comprises SDT Random Access Channel (RACH) configuration, and the at least one processor is configured to:
 in initiating the SDT procedure, apply first Time Alignment (TA) information and initiating a timer;   during performing the SDT procedure, in response to determining that the timer is not running:
 initiate a Random Access (RA) procedure in which uplink synchronization is obtained in a RRC-Inactive state; and 
   in response to determining that the SDT procedure ends and that the wireless communication device enters into a Radio Resource Control (RRC)-Inactive state, terminate the timer,   wherein the timer is reinitiated in response to receiving any TA information.